Phonograph record carrier



Jan. 31, 1967 a. H. HALVERSON 3,301,451

I I PHONOGRAPH RECORD CARRIER Filed Dec. 14, 1964 INVENTOR. GORDON HHALl/ERSON i BY I i i Judi-us f gjfdrli'e Affarnn s United States PatentC) 3,301,451 PHONOGRAPH RECORD CARRIER Gordon H. Halverson, 3863 SunnySlope Road, Milwaukee, Wis. 53215 Filed Dec. 14, 1964. Ser. No. 417,8813 Claims. (Cl. 224-45) This invention relates to a phonograph recordcarrier and particularly to such a carrier for conveniently storing andtransporting a plurality of disc records in a superimposed stackedrelationship.

Phonographs employing centrally apertured disc records are commonhousehold items; Individual children, particularly teen-agers, oftenhave their own record players with popular records peculiarly adapted totheir own interests and desires. New records are being continuously madeand the individuals acquire a substantial number of records. With thesubstantial mobility of the teen-agers, it is often that one takes hisrecords to anothers home to play them.

Although many various forms of record holders have been proposed, suchas the conventional elongated slotted unit wherein the records are heldin individual slots and the like, all of them have certain disadvantagesfrom the standpoint of simplicity, maintenance, convenience and cost. a

The present invention is directed to an exceedingly simple andinexpensive record carrier for the usual phonograph disc record having acentral phonograph post opening which will provide for reliable storageof a substantial number of records and permit convenient transporting ofthe records from one place to another.

Generally, in accordance with the present invention, a simple tubularmember having an exterior diameter substantially corresponding to butslightly less than the internal diameter of the record post opening isprovided with a lower outwardly extending radial flange. A carryinghandle is provided at the opposite or top end and is constructed toallow ready movement of the records over the tube member, withoutremoval of the handle, into stacked relation upon the flange. Thisprovides an exceedingly simple and reliable means for both storing ofthe records and for transporting of the records when desired. Therecords. are stored in superimposed flat relation which is generallyconsidered a highly desirable position. Generally, popular records aresuch that there is no substantial danger that the interengagement ofadjacent records will cause any serious damage. However, if desired,spacer members can he provided therebetw-een to protect the face ofadjacent records from each other.

Preferably, the handle structure is constructed such that the recordscan be placed directly on the tube without removal of the handle. Forexample, a small ring member may be secured to the top in any suitablemanner or a string or other strap member might be passed throughappropriate opposed openings in opposite sides of the top end of thetube. Additionally, to protect the records from dust, or rain whilebeing transported outdoors, a plastic cover can be provided having acentral opening somewhat less than the diameter of the tube such that itwill rest on the tube and extend downwardly over the records.

The present invention thus provides a highly improved record carrierwhich can be manufactured at a very minimum cost, while maintainingreliable storage and transporting functions.

The drawing furnished herewith illustrates a preferred construction ofthe present invention clearly disclosing the above advantages andfeatures as well as others which will be clear to those skilled in theart from the following discussion and description thereof.

3,361,451 Patented Jan. 31, 1967 "ice In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the record carrier constructed inaccordance with the present invention with parts broken away andsectioned to clearly illustrate the construction;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the invention shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary illustration showing an alternative handlestructure which can be employed in accordance with the presentinvention.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, the illustratedrecord carrier is shown adapted to suppo t a plurality of disc-likerecords 1, shown as conventional 45 rpm. phonograph records, having acentral record post opening 2 of a diameter of about one and oneh-alfinches. The records 1 are stacked on an annular carrier tube 3 having anexternal diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the recordpost opening 2. The tube is formed of any suitable material such asaluminum or plastic and the lower end of the tube 3 is provided with anintegral radially outwardly extending flange 4. The flange 4 defines asupporting surface upon which the records rest for transportation andstorage and which for 45 r.p.m. records need only extend for aboutone-half inch, or about one-third the outside tube diameter andsubstantially less than the periphery of the records.

To provide convenient transportation, a rigid ring hold r 5 is providedat the upper end of the tube 3. In the illustrated embodiment of theinvention, the ring 5 is welded or otherwise secured to a plug member 6which is threadedly fixedlv secured to the tube 3 bv a threadedconnection within the internal top portion of the tube 3 as at 7. Thethreaded connection 7 provides a firm reliable interconnection such thata substantial number of records can be carried without removal of thering 5 and plug member 6 from tube 3. Ring 5 must have a dimension nogreater than the tubes outside diameter in a direction transverse to thetubes longitudinal extent to permit passing of records thereover. Ifdesired, any other suitable connection such asa bonded or press fitconnection can be employed.

Additionally, the present invention preferably includes a suitable outerimpervious cover 8 which is formed of a plastic or other suitablematerial to protect the records from surrounding environment includingdirt, rain and the like. Thus, if the records 1 are being transportedoutdoors, it is highly desirable to protect them from rain or othersimilar conditions. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of theinvention, the cover 8 is generally an inverted cup-shaped member havinga central base opening of a greatest dimension or diameter somewhatgreater than the outer ring diameter but less than the diameter of thetube 3 such that it can pass over the ring 5 and rest on the upper endof the tube 3. This will prevent the cover from dropping substantiallybelow the lower flange 4 when only a few records 1 are being stored ortransported.

The present invention thus provides the simplest possible constructionand consequently the most inexpensive type of carrier. The device ispeculiarly adapted to low cost, mass production and is thereforeparticularly practical for popular records of the 45 r.p.m. variety.This is of significance in that they form a group which is used byteen-agers and consequently are moved from one place to another. Becauseof the substantial accumulation of such records, a low cost and small,compact storage system is required.

If it is desired to even further reduce the cost of such item, analternative construction is shown in FIG. 3. A tubular carrier 9 similarto that of FIGS. 1 and 2. is

provided at its upper end with a pair of opposed openings 10 and 11through which a carrying strap 12 or the like is passed to provide avery simple means for conveniently carrying of the records. The strap 12can be a conventional shoestring or other suitable flexible memberhaving suflicient strength to support the weight of the records on thetube member.

The present invention thus provides a very inexpensive construction fora record carrier having a cost which is minimized to a point Where itwould appear impossible to have any further economies.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as beingwithin the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out anddistinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as theinvention.

I'claim:

1. A record storage and transporting device for disclike records havinga central phonograph post opening of the order of one and one-halfinches, comprising a cylindrical tube having a diameter slightly lessthan one and one-half inches and having an integral radial flangeextending outwardly from the lower end of the tube to provide a supportsurface for a plurality of superimposed records disposed on the tube andresting in stacked relation on the flange, said flange having aperiphery which is adapted to be less than the periphery of the recordsto be supported thereon,

a plug member secured within the upper end of the tube, an upstandingring peripherally secured to the outer face of the plug to provide aconvenient finger support for carrying of the device, said ring havingan outer diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of the tube, and

a protective cup-shaped cover having a central opening having itsgreatest dimension greater than the outer ring diameter and less thanthe tube diameter so that said cover fits over the ring and rests uponthe upper end of the tube whereby the cover is adapted to be assembledin rec-rd covering relationship with the ring passed through saidcentral opening, the top of said tube being adapted to provide the solesupport for said cover.

2. A record storage and transporting device for disclike records havinga central phonograph post opening of the order of one and one-halfinches, comprising a tube having a diameter slightly less than one andonehalf inches,

a flange extending outwardly from the lower end of the tube to provide asupport surface for a plurality of superimposed records disposed on thetube, said flange having a periphery which is adapted to be less thanthe periphery of the records to be supported thereon,

a plug member secured within the upper end of the tube V by a threadedconnection,

an upstanding ring peripherally secured to the outer face of the plug toprovide a convenient finger support for carrying of the device, saidring having an outer diameter slightly less than the outer diameter ofthe tube, and

a protective cup-shaped cover having a central opening of a diametergenerally intermediate the outer dia eter of the tube and the outerdiameter of the ring whereby the cover is adapted to be assembled inrecord covering relationship with the ring passed through said centralopening and with said tube providing the sole support for said cover.

3. A record storage and transporting device for disclike records havinga central generally circular phonograph post opening, comprising acylindrical tube having an outside diameter slightly less than the postopening,

, flange means extending radially outwardly from the lower end of thetube a distance less than the diameter of said tube to provide a supportsurface for a plurality of superimposed records stacked on the flangemeans,

a loop type handle attached to diametric'al opposite portions of theupper end of said tube, said handle means providing for ready impalingof records thereover and upon said tube and ready removal of recordsthereover as the records are removed firom said tube, and said flangemeans having a periphery which is substantially less than the peripheryof records supported thereon, and

a protective cup shaped cover having a central opening with a diameterless than that of the tube diameter whereby the cover rests upon theupper end of the tube so that the cover is assembled in record coveringrelationship with the loop handle passed through the cover opening forcarrying purposes, the top of said tube being the sole support for saidcover.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,320,958 11/1919Albrecht et al.

2,206,121 7/ 1940 Pierce.

2,33 8,930 1/ 1944- Gordon 22445 .7 2,954,898 10/ 1960 Freeberg 220-10123,043,492 7/ 1962 Stewart 22445 .10 3,224,655 12/ 1965 Buchanan et al2244 8 FOREIGN PATENTS 510,378 10/ 1952 Belgium.

83,129 5/ 1956 Netherlands.

GERALD M. F ORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

F. E. WERNER, Assistant Examiner.

1. A RECORD STORAGE AND TRANSPORTING DEVICE FOR DISCLIKE RECORDS HAVINGA CENTRAL PHONOGRAPH POST OPENING OF THE ORDER OF ONE AND ONE-HALFINCHES, COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL TUBE HAVING A DIAMETER SLIGHTLY LESSTHAN ONE AND ONE-HALF INCHES AND HAVING AN INTEGRAL RADIAL FLANGEEXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE LOWER END OF THE TUBE TO PROVIDE A SUPPORTSURFACE FOR A PLURALITY OF SUPERIMPOSED RECORDS DISPOSED ON THE TUBE ANDRESTING IN STACKED RELATION ON THE FLANGE, SAID FLANGE HAVING APERIPHERY WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BE LESS THAN THE PERIPHERY OF THE RECORDSTO BE SUPPORTED THEREON, A PLUG MEMBER SECURED WITHIN THE UPPER END OFTHE TUBE, AN UPSTANDING RING PERIPHERALLY SECURED TO THE OUTER FACE OFTHE PLUG TO PROVIDE A CONVENIENT FINGER SUPPORT FOR CARRYING OF THEDEVICE, SAID RING HAVING AN OUTER DIAMETER SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE OUTERDIAMETER OF THE TUBE, AND A PROTECTIVE CUP-SHAPED COVER HAVING A CENTRALOPENING HAVING ITS GREATEST DIMENSION GREATER THAN THE OUTER RINGDIAMETER AND LESS THAN THE TUBE DIAMETER SO THAT SAID COVER FITS OVERTHE RING AND RESTS UPON THE UPPER END OF THE TUBE WHEREBY THE COVER ISADAPTED TO BE ASSEMBLED IN RECORD COVERING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE RINGPASSED THROUGH SAID CENTRAL OPENING, THE TOP OF SAID TUBE BEING ADAPTEDTO PROVIDE THE SOLE SUPPORT FOR SAID COVER.